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Drawing Biblical Truths from Secular Plays

COVENANT OF AGREEMENT

When you audition to be part of a Company production, you will be required to sign a covenant of behavioral agreement. If you are under 18, you will need a guardian's cosignature as well. Repeated violations may not result in termination of the contract for that production, but it will forgo your privilege to work with The Company again in the future.

Below, the Covenant is in bold, with an added explanation of the terms and conditions so that you know exactly what would be expected of you during your experience with us.

(Don't worry - it actually isn't that scary!)

"By signing this covenant, I agree to the following:-I will arrive on time. Arriving late steals time from the other actors who came promptly. If I know I am going to be late, I will notify the director via call or text. (Exceptions for being late may include car trouble, work scheduling, sickness, death, but those situations still warrant notification.)"

We won't get on your case if you are a few minutes late, but you get the idea. Please don't come into rehearsal fifteen minutes late every week and expect us to be happy.

"-I will respect the director. This includes listening to directions, not talking about the director behind her back, answering appropriate emails and other correspondence, and meeting deadlines. (This concerns behavior; it does not include open group discussions, disagreements, etc concerning the actual production.)"

If you are asked to help with something you don't feel like doing, don't complain about it to other cast members. Don't complain about the terms of the covenant that you agreed to if you are called to account for violation. Don't treat the director like /heshe is stupid or has not done his/her research on the production. If you have any problems with your director, the only person that should hear about it is the director, from your mouth, in private, so we can do the best to fix the problem.

"-I will respect the other cast and crew members. I will not mock them or their acting or production skills or talk about them behind their backs. If I have a problem or concern with a cast or crew member, I will privately and respectfully bring the problem or concern to either that person or a crew member of authority, depending on which is appropriate. If I can’t bring myself to do that, I will not concern myself with the matter anymore. (This concerns behavior; it does not include open group discussions, disagreements, etc concerning the actual production; however, I will not give unsolicited acting advice to any of my fellow cast members.)

Everyone is human and makes mistakes. If someone misses an entrance, messes up a line, or can't understand a stage direction, there is no reason to mock or get angry at them. We are all members of a team and should be encouraged not demeaned. We all have the same goal. And if there IS something more serious to address concerning a cast member, don't spend your time brooding or backbiting about it. Talk it out, and seek to find a solution.

"I will use appropriate language. In addition to being edifying and kind to the cast and crew, this includes no cursing, swearing, or vulgar sexual conversation or references. Though philosophical, political, and theological discussion is encouraged, it must be done respectfully and maturely. If you are uncomfortable with a discussion, you can either prudently engage to defend your view, or you can leave the room (if applicable) or simply stay out of the conversation quietly. However, there will be NO proselytizing."

No two cast members will have the same beliefs and backgrounds. The Company's entire mission is to engage in thought-provoking ideas and have people rethink what they believe and why they believe it. So there will be no attempt to stop a respectible discussion even if it is uncomfortable. That is real life, and we are all free to voice our opinions. Maybe you will learn something new, or maybe you will learn how to strengthen your own arguments. Please be prepared to be around people who disagree, and don't belittle them because of it. However, there will be no toleration of badgering a cast or crew member to adhere to a belief, opinion, or viewpoint, including Christianity. State your cases when necessary, and then let Providence take its course.

"-I will dress modestly and appropriately when attending rehearsals and shows. I can be casual, but in general, I will keep a respectable appearance with properly-fitting clothes that do not reveal private parts or undergarments. Particularly as a woman/girl, I will not wear revealing, sheer, or very tight clothes, and particularly as a man/boy, I will make sure my pants fit well around my waist and I am clean. Additionally, I will make it a point to change costumes during productions and dress rehearsals privately, behind an appropriate changing area or in a restroom, as much as there is accommodation.”

Ladies, if we can see your cleavage easily, or if you are constantly pulling up the neckline of your shirt because it is falling down to reveal cleavage, it is not the shirt to wear to rehearsal. If your pant waist doesn't meet your shirt while you are seated, the shirt is too high for rehearsal. If you need to hold your breath to make sure you fit in your clothes, they are too tight for rehearsal. Gentlemen, if you come to rehearsal smelling like a horse, either text me that you will be late because you need to shower, or bring a change of clothes for rehearsal that are clean. If you have more holes in your jeans than your pant leg holes, they are not the pants for rehearsal. If I know what boxers you're wearing because the belt doesn't do the job, they are not the pants for rehearsal. And walking around in your underwear or without appropriate covering is not suddenly acceptable just because we are all in this theater production together. Let's maintain our dignity and respect as human beings as much as possible.

"-I will not touch others in a sensual manner, which includes no caressing, fondling, sitting on each other’s laps, kissing, full body embracing, or other overt public displays of affection."

You might be dating or be married to a cast or crew member, but your public displays of affection should be controlled so we can concentrate on our work comfortably. For the purposes of theater, please wait until you're off set for more intimate things.

"-I will ask the director before making any major changes in my physical appearance before the performance, such as hair dyeing, elaborate hair or beard cutting, piercings, and visible tattoos."

Sometimes, your physical appearance might make a big difference to the believability of your character. The director can make accommodations for most things using make-up and wigs, but it is unfair that she be expected to accommodate at the last minute if she were already depending on you to look a certain way, especially if you don't know for sure if she can make those accommodations. Please talk to the director before making that radical change, and be open to options. We do want you to look and feel your best as well as look and feel your character's best!

"-I will maintain a positive attitude and have fun! COLOSSIANS 3:23 “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as unto the Lord and not unto men.”

We want you to be here and enjoy your time! This covenant is to help everyone get the best out of their experience with us. You don't have to agree with the rules, but while on set, you do need to listen to them. Everyone working together can make the show great.